France, after all, did have a performance in them. It should have come as no surprise really, because it is a custom of theirs to turn an abject campaign into something special. But this was still extraordinary.

They came back to Eden Park, where they had been firmly put in their place by New Zealand two weeks ago, and within half an hour rattled up 16 points against England, who had conceded one try in four pool matches. France's cushion was deep enough to afford protection against a second-half rally by the finalists at the last World Cup and champions of the one before that.

A revival by France and the refusal to surrender by England are twin pillars of rugby folklore. But so miserable had been France's form that the chances of turning the tables, especially on an adversary hardly likely to enter into the spirit of abandon, a prerequisite to French reinvention at other World Cups, seemed nonexistent. England in New Zealand had been obstinate, cruel and unbeaten.

France had responded to heavy defeat by the All Blacks by playing even worse against Tonga and losing. They then ostracised their coach, Marc Lièvremont and prepared for England, who had dumped them out of the tournament in 2003 and 2007, in a coach-free huddle.

When Manu Tuilagi rearranged Morgan Parra with one of his trademark tackles after five minutes, it seemed that the inevitable would happen, the grim team would thump the glum mutineers. But far from looking rudderless, and in Parra's case ribless, France began to play.

Lionel Nallet had already stolen a throw at an England lineout in a promising position and now they started to win the ball elsewhere in the air, claiming catches and starting to flow down the three-quarter line, something they had managed only once before, for about the first four minutes of the against the All Blacks.

England had started brightly themselves. Or they had half-started brightly, because if, through a bit of new invention by their new midfield combination of Jonny Wilkinson and Toby Flood, they had begun to create openings, then their completion of the passing tasks was inadequate. In short, England had their chances, but the ball refused to go to hand, from Wilkinson, from Ben Youngs.

The scrum-half in particular was having another hesitant day. He has shrunk into nervousness at this World Cup; and from his stellar beginnings is now an obvious pressure point for his opponents to press. Wilkinson too looked as if in tight spaces he no can no longer deliver a killer pass.

France, on the other hand, began to purr with their passes. They had landed a couple of penalties by Dimitri Yachvili when Pascal Papé, half of a formidable second-row combination with Nallet, stole another lineout, or at least deflected the ball to Julien Bonnaire. The wing forward flipped it to Thierry Dusautoir, who set up Maxime Mermoz for a run in the centre.

The ball was recycled, arriving in the hands of Vincent Clerc, who beat Wilkinson on the outside, another sign of fading powers in the defender who once could tackle with almost the same conviction as Tuilagi. There was worse to come for England as the French wing ran on, twisting away form Youngs and Ben Foden. It was, as Martin Johnson admitted afterwards, a soft try.

It prompted England to enter their worst period of the game. They set themselves up for a drop goal, eventually missed by Flood, but the ball came to him on the bounce from Youngs, who completely missed Wilkinson, perfectly positioned to put England on the board. Chris Ashton combined with Mark Cueto down the wing, only for the ball to be fired too hard in the final pass.

When Alexis Palisson found three defenders honing in on him he gave a perfect lesson in holding his nerve at the point of being gang-tackled and slung a left-handed pass infield to Maxime Médard. France were up to 16, way beyond the point at which England had ever recovered at the World Cup.

The chances of anything happening on such a front looked horribly slender when Cueto, trying to get back into position, with his back to play, was passed the ball. It bounced off him, forward. Wilkinson had a flash of the old days with a pick-up off his toes, only to chuck a pass over Ashton into touch.

At this point, the French revival was well and truly declared, with England now tumbling towards the abject. They refused to let the game remain that way, and after half-time reached deep into their reserves of courage and replacements.

Tempo had been the order of the week, and at last Youngs was able to inject some, taking a tap penalty and running at a retreating defence. The move ended with Foden scoring and Wilkinson converting. There was plenty of time left. On for France came François Trinh-Duc, the player dropped so that scrum-half Parra might play at No10, all part of the mutinous business. He immediately put two kicks behind England to frustrate the comeback. He kept France at the right end of the field, until he landed a drop goal. 19-7.

The replacements poured off the bench. Matt Banahan made a charge, and Flood stabbed the ball behind the French defence, a kick that eluded Simon Shaw but which came to Cueto. He was short by a fraction but touched down at the second attempt. 19-12.

This time, however, the minutes were fading fast. France rumbled a minute-eating maul and were awarded a penalty. Parra hit the post and the ball went out of play. The whistle sounded and France formed a huddle – not a mutinous gathering, but a bobbing circle of celebration. France, two defeats and a place in the semi-finals; England, one defeat and going home.